Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe - Sweet, Floral & Tangy

Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie

An original recipe by Not Quite Nigella

Pie crust pastry

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour

• 1/2 cup cold butter plus an extra tablespoon (140 grams total)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup Iced water (scant)

Lemon Curd Filling (makes roughly double-halve if you need to or just put the rest in a jar)

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 8 large egg yolks

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest

• 1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice (fresh from 2 Meyer lemons)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Meringue Topping (as you can see it makes a mountain, halve if you want to. I prefer a mountain as it looks more spectacular)

• 2 tablespoon cornstarch

• 2/3 cup water

• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1 cup sugar

• 8 large egg whites

Directions

Step 1 - Make pie pastry ahead of time and freeze and refrigerate. The key to pastry is relaxing the dough. In a food processor combine all ingredients except for the iced water and whizz together briefly. Then add iced water until it starts to come together and then empty the contents of the processor onto a board and knead briefly. Cover in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.

Step 2 - Roll out the pastry and fit into a 9 inch flan tin. Place in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes-this is important to prevent pastry shrinkage (or you could do the pie tin ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate them). Make sure the oven racks are positioned so that you can fit a tall pie in there. Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Step 3 - Prick holes in the bottom wiht a fork and fill with dried rice, beans or ceramic bead. Bake the pastry blind for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce heat to 325F/160C.

Image removed for printing

Step 4 - Make Lemon Curd Filling by whisking sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks together in a saucepan. Put saucepan over low to medium heat and gradually whisk in the 1 1/2 cups water. Whisk until all water is added and the mixture is thickened.

Step 5 - Remove pan from heat and whisk in lemon juice then the zest and then the butter.

Image removed for printing

Step 6 - Make Meringue topping: whisk cornstarch and 2/3 cup water in a small saucepan until it becomes translucent and thick. Cool.

Step 7 - Mix cream of tartar and sugar together in a medim sized bowl or jug

Step 8 - In a large bowl, beat egg whites with whip attachment of mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.

Step 9 - Then add the cooled cornstarch mixture one tablespoon at a time until the meringue is stiff and glossy. You should be able to upturn the bowl with the contents in it and it should not move.

Image removed for printing

Step 10 - Spread the lemon mixture over the bottom of the pastry up unto the same height as the sides and ensuring that the meringue goes all the way to the crust (it can slide off the lemon filling). Then spread meringue over the top using a spatula. Using the spatula, "lift" the meringue to give it jagged peaks or patterns.

Image removed for printing

Image removed for printing

Step 11 - In 325F/160C oven, bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown in places. Chill thoroughly before cutting.

Image removed for printing